A vote in the Michigan House this afternoon will upend many of the strict, zero-tolerance policies in schools that many say are unfairly kicking kids out of school — sometimes for months at a time — for offenses that could be handled differently.

The House voted 107-1 today to provide the final legislative approval of a package of bills aimed at giving schools greater flexibility in meting out punishment to students — and ultimately cutting back on the number of kids expelled or suspended from Michigan schools.

The House vote came after the Senate voted 37-0 Tuesday night. The House originally approved the bipartisan, seven-bill package in June, but had to vote again today because of changes made to the legislation in the Senate.

The gist of the main bill, introduced earlier this year by Rep. Andy Schor, D-Lansing: School officials would have to consider a number of factors, such as a student's age, disciplinary history and the seriousness of the violation, before suspending or expelling a student. It also limits how many days a student can be expelled for a disciplinary reason to 60 days. That bill passed on a 37-0 vote.

The bills also push schools to consider using restorative practices that bring the victim together with the rule violator — along with adults and peers — to try to resolve conflicts. The victims, though, must be willing to participate.

"I'm so excited about it," said DaQuann Harrison, 17, a freshman at Eastern Michigan University who has been pushing for a change since he was expelled from high school for having a knife. He brought the knife because older students had threatened to harm him physically, and he feared for his life. He was expelled for 180 days.

Seeing other students deal with the same discipline worried him. In the spring, he testified before lawmakers in support of the legislation.

"It really drove me to advocate and help change the law, to help keep our students in school," Harrison said.

DaQuann Harrison, 17, who was expelled more than a year ago, has become an outspoken advocate for students who've been kicked out of school for violating rules. He's now a freshman at Eastern Michigan University.(Photo: DaQuann Harrison)

Peri Stone-Palmquist, executive director of the Student Advocacy Center in Ypsilanti, has been working for a decade on changing zero-tolerance laws. Hearing the House passed the legislation today left her emotional because her organization works closely with students who've been kicked out of school.

"I know the students. I know the stories behind all the statistics. I know how hurt and devastating it is for families," Stone-Palmquist said.

During the 2014-15 school year, there were 1,347 expulsions in Michigan schools— about 8% of them permanent. In 45% of cases, the expulsion was for almost a full school year — 180 days. The median number of days expelled: 157.

Kids who get expelled or suspended often end up struggling academically, are more likely to drop out, get in trouble, and/or eventually end up in prison, experts say.

The legislation is part of multiple efforts aimed at keeping kids in school. Lawmakers, educators and students say kids who pose a serious danger in school absolutely should be removed — but they want schools to have more flexibility in dealing with other violations of school policies. Michigan's expulsion rules — like those in many other states — go above federal guidelines that mandate students who bring guns to school be expelled for at least a year. In Michigan, you can be expelled for a host of reasons — from physical assault to disobedience.

The legislation doesn't change the tough stance on kids who bring firearms to schools. Such students would still face automatic expulsion.

The bills would go into effect August 1, 2017.

Stone-Palmquist said the legislation is an important first step. The hope, she said, is that schools will relax their tough stances on violations of school policy.

The legislation is "sending a strong message that we prioritize having kids in school. The next step is going to be the hard work in how do you make that happen."

Schor's bill was amended from the original version to include language that says if a student is suspended or expelled for more than 10 days, and a parent opts to fight that punishment, the school district would have to prove that all factors were considered in making the decision.

The amendment was offered by Sen. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, which heard testimony on the bills. Jones said he heard from a mother who had purchased a backpack for her daughter at Goodwill, not realizing there was a jackknife in it.

"Her child goes to school, puts books in the backpack and discovers the knife. She goes to the principal to turn it in ... and gets expelled for turning it in."

"We want children to stay in school and not be expelled for things that totally lack any common sense," Jones said.

Schor said the new rules would provide schools with flexibility.

"We're telling schools that you can look at the situation and decide if it was intentional or unintentional. Was it a butter knife to spread butter on your bagel? Was it a knife that you used when you went hunting over the weekend and was sitting in your backpack? Or was there an intent for a child to go after another child or a teacher? This is just basic common sense."

The passage of the legislation was lauded by Karen Holcomb-Merrill, vice president of the Michigan League for Public Policy. In a statement, she said the bills provide "flexibility and consideration of the students in weighing suspensions and expulsions."

"Too many students were receiving drastic and even permanently detrimental punishments for minor incidences or oversights, and this change provides educators with the discretion they need to act in the best interest of all students."